2017 AUSTRALIA'S WINE LIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS ENTRIES CLOSE IN 5 DAYS LATEST NEWS
Entries for the 2017 Australia's Wine List of the Year Awards are now open – closing this Friday 10th March, 2017. Now recognised as one of the hospitality and tourism industry’s most prestigious Award Programs, Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards, were established in 1994, and their 2017 presenting Media partners – Australia's leading wine and drinks magazine Gourmet Traveller WINE, and the Australian Liquor Industry’s the drinks Association – the pre-eminent supplier of information and services to the Australian Liquor Industry, are delighted to again support these benchmark Awards in this their 24th year. These awards recognise and reward the most outstanding wine and beverage lists – large and small, from restaurants, wine bars, cafes, brasseries, pubs, clubs and hotels across the country - the outstanding Sommeliers that craft and manage them and the business owners and managers that invest in the team and cellars that support them. The awards were created to promote the growth of premium beverage representation and consumption and the increased profitability that accompanies this while inspiring service professionals to continue to build on their standards and knowledge. Recognition is also given for the representation of not only all wines but also aperitifs, digestifs and beers as well as the non-alcoholic offerings.
2017 AUSTRALIA'S WINE LIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Official Partners Judy Sarris, Editor of Gourmet Traveller WINE, added “we are looking forward to receiving the same high standard of entries as in previous years, and from venues big and small. "It is the quality not the quantity of wines listed we care about and we, therefore, urge any restaurant or bar with a worthwhile wine list to share it with us." In the last year Gourmet Traveller WINE has enjoyed continued growth in readership through both print and digital and has been awarded Best Wine Publication, Best Wine App and the prestigious Wine Communicator of the Year Award by Wine Communicators of Australia. At the recent DMA Awards in London GT WINE took out two highly sought after international awards for Best Relaunch and Best Food & Wine for its digital edition. “The drinks Association is proud to again be working with the Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards as its official Trade Communications Partner in 2017. Our not-for-profit association offers a portfolio of trade publications - including drinks trade - that reach in excess of 10,000 restaurants, hotels and clubs. Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the achievements of sommeliers and venues as they enhance appreciation among diners of the amazing wines our country produces.” – commented Sandra Przibilla, CEO, the drinks Association. According to the founder of the Awards, Rob Hirst “the combination again of our valuable long term Consumer Media Partner –Gourmet Traveller WINE and our valuable Trade Communications Partner – the drinks Association – is an ideal one, and it is great to also see with the entries each year, the continually growing focus on Wines by the Glass, Food and Wine Matching and also the renewed focus on the best of Regional Australian Wines!”
2017 AUSTRALIA'S WINE LIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS
The Judges Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards has again assembled an extraordinary selection of outstanding local and international judges to maintain the integrity and independence of the Awards. Headed by leading wine commentator Peter Forrestal as Chairman of Judges – supported by Deputy Chairs – Toni Paterson MW and Jeni Port, the long-term panel of 30 includes global industry figures such as Brian Julyan MS – founder and CEO The Court of Master Sommeliers Europe, former global wine Man of the Year and World Champion Sommelier - Gerard Basset MBE, MW MS MBA, from the USA – Evan Goldstein MS, from France – James Lawther MW and Andrew Jefford, from Germany – Felicity Carter, from New Zealand – Bob Campbell MW and Cameron Douglas MS, plus from Australia – Mike Bennie, Andrew Caillard MW, Huon Hooke, and Peter Bourne to name but a few, together with former Wine List of the Year Award Winners and representatives of Sommeliers Australia. This panel reviews the wine lists for many qualities, which include user friendliness, the quality of the wines and how well the list fits the style of the venue – see Judging Criteria at www.winelistoftheyear.com.au. From the outlet’s point of view – to quote 2016 Winner – Grant Dickson – fermentAsian “Winning the Wine List of the Year award has legitimised a less-than-conventional, narrative-based approach to listing and selling delicious wine. I’m sure that other sommeliers with a song in their heart and a fierce yearning to tell stories will be heartened by our success and feel more confident in submitting their offering”. Also, from the outlet’s point of view - to quote 2015 Winner – Nick Hildebrant – Bentley – “It’s been really good for business. We’ve always been known as a destination for wine lovers and the Award has now cemented that position for us. We’ve had customers come in to see the wine list and drink the wines because they’ve heard about the Award and that definitely adds something special to the place”. 2017 AUSTRALIA'S WINE LIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS
As usual there are a wide range of categories to cater for the styles of different venues large and small from Best Small Wine List – 50 or 100 wines, Best Restaurant List – City and Country, Best Hotel List, Best Pub List, Best Club List, Best Wine Bar List, Best Food and Wine Matching List, Best Wine by the Glass List and more. A full list of categories is available at www.winelistoftheyear.com.au In 2017, Wine Australia will continue to promote the exceptional quality of Australian wine with their sponsorship of the ‘Best Listing of Australian Wines’ Award. The Award recognises the venues that celebrate our local winemakers and highlight the diversity of Australian wine. In 2016, Wine Australia extended the award to also include the Best Listing of ACT, New South Wales, Victorian, South Australian, Western Australian, Tasmanian and Queensland Wines. Venues that receive one-, two- or three-glass ratings will all be awarded certificates as well as feature on gourmettravellerwine.com and on GT WINE’s tablet and iPhone apps. Our judges always enjoy assessing the hundreds of lists we receive each year - entries close Friday March 10 so don’t delay.
Enter via winelistoftheyear.com.au
Good Luck! Results will be published in the August/September 2017 issue of drinks trade and Gourmet Traveller WINE magazines. Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards 2017 Key dates: Entries open: Now Entries close: Friday 10 March, 2017 Awards Presentation: Monday 31 July, 2017 * for additional information and/or sponsorship opportunities, contact Leone Cruden-Bonić at leone@winelistoftheyear.com 2017 AUSTRALIA'S WINE LIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS